My Story

We are located in Young NSW, on a property called Derrymore. Hence the name Treasures at Derrymore. We were fortunate to move to the region many ago and couldn't be happier. The best part is, I am able to have my very own workshop where I can do all my creating. It is where I can just shut the door & just leave my mess until I am able to get back in there. 

Having been diagnosed with multiple chronic illnesses many years ago, this workshop is my haven and is necessary for my overall well-being & I certainly would be lost without it. 

I am riddled with multiple types of arthritis & also have other unrelated health conditions making life challenging at times. Thankfully, most of the time I am able to cope with day to day living by managing my rest times and exercise. I am currently maintaining my health with a yoga x tai-chi routine which seems to be working wonders. It seems to have reduced my fatigue and strengthened my overall body. I think consistency in exercise is important to maintain my health and I do try to exercise each day, but some days are just to difficult to make myself.

I do experience pain every day, however, the severity depends on the day and what the weather is doing. Yes, weather is a major factor to consider for me when trying to plan anything. And as you can imagine when the weather is involved it is hard to predict anything!

My love for creating started early in life. I absolutely love being creative, with just about anything and have dabbled in many different crafts. Painting, knitting, cross stitch, pottery, tie dye, light metal work, card making, photography, and probably many more that I can't think of. However my true passion is wood. I remember as a kid making a table from off cuts. It was wonky, but it still got used. Then, in year 10, I made a spinning wheel. I still have it, but it is only collecting dust now.

My obsession with carving started around 2010 with a online tutorial carving a 3D shoe. Looking back it was much too difficult a task for a newbie carver. But I did learn a lot.

It was also done whilst at my lowest ebb, regarding my health. You would be correct in thinking that it took a lot of brain power. At the time, I didn't have much to spare and would constantly have to complete the lessons requirements over several days.

This was directly taken from my old bush walking boots. They saw many hikes and Australian bush. These boots had a lot of character and made an interesting subject to carve. When carving the boot, I added in as much detail as I could see and actually carve. Trying to make it look realistic was a challenge, but having the real one in front of me was good, as I could always refer back to that, for both the carving and painting. After many weeks, I had finally completed a project that took a great deal of concentration and skill. I was extremely proud of my achievements, especially when my life had taken such a dramatic turn for the worse. It has been life changing, being able to carve and I am still learning and loving the craft. I can make it as difficult and complex as I choose and it is flexible enough to suit my needs while dealing with chronic illnesses.

Also, I can take it with me where ever I go, even if it is only around the paddock!